Transition to What?

The SEVEN
by Mack Williams
17 December 2016

I. Broken Cabinet

Dr. Ben Carson is a surgeon, a great one at that. Presidential candidate, not so much – at least in a Republican Party devoid of people like Nelson Rockefeller, Clifford Case, and Edward Brooke, statesmen and leaders of the party in years past. But a surgeon he is. So why wouldn’t President-Elect Trump nominate him for Surgeon General?

Part of the rationale given for his nomination to be Secretary of HUD is that he lived in public housing. That’s like saying I can manage a Major League Baseball team because I’ve attended games at about 25% of the MLB stadiums. Actually, cancel that analogy; I could manage a Major League Baseball team…and very well, at that…still waiting for that call!

It’s really like Royal Caribbean appointing me to be the captain of a cruise ship because I took the Staten Island Ferry.
II. Busted Cabinet

Texas Gov. Rick Perry has been nominated to be Energy Secretary. Okay, let’s go on and give him a pass on the noise he made about Texas seceding from the United States…but isn’t he the guy, while running for president in 2012, called for the elimination of the Department of Energy? Meanwhile, Betsy DeVos – a big proponent of school vouchers – has been nominated to head the Department of Education. These appointments are like putting the fox in charge of the hen house.
III. Small Business Administration Counted Out

A skeptic might ask if one of former WWE CEO Linda McMahon’s qualifications to head the Small Business Administration is the fact that the McMahon family has made huge donations to Trump’s foundation and campaign. It certainly cannot be her track record; WWE has been famous for using clout to put small wrestling companies OUT of business.

But let me not be skeptical; maybe the President-Elect is on to something. To that end, here are a few more Cabinet post suggestions:

Health & Human Services: The Undertaker
If your health is failing to the utmost, The Undertaker can assist with final services.

Secretary of State – Dwayne Johnson
His movies are all over the world, so diplomacy should be a snap. If not, he can lay the smackdown on his foreign counterparts.

Energy – Rey Mysterio
The 619 guy definitely displays much energy as he flies around the ring.

Surgeon General – Stone Cold Steve Austin

Stone Cold can warn against drinking outside of moderation.

Transportation – Ric Flair

Who better to head this department than the stylin’, profilin’, limousine ridin’, jet flying, kiss stealing, wheelin’ and dealing son of a gun?
IV. Still an Apprentice

Despite having a few other responsibilities, Mr. Trump will remain an executive producer of Celebrity Apprentice. Does he really want to be president for two terms? Does he really want to sit behind a desk for one, when he could be grabbing women, firing people and keeping company with celebrities like Kanye West?

By the way, was the Kanye visit to Trump Tower filmed for Keeping Up With The Kardashians?

V. Sportsman of the Year

LeBron James is a much deserving recipient of Sports Illustrated’s Sportsman of the Year award – and from my perspective, for more than leading the Cavs back from a seemingly insurmountable 3-1 deficit to defeat the mighty pre-Durant Golden State Warriors. We all know he’s a great player, but an additional great thing is that he and his Superfriends Dwyane Wade, Chris Paul and Carmelo Anthony recognize that with greatness comes a platform should you choose to use it.

Meanwhile, as I think about this young season’s Player of the Year,
I am led to wonder what the first coach I worked under – a total basketball traditionalist – is thinking about Russell Westbrook. This is a coach who specifically praised Bill, our starting point guard, for his outstanding play and leadership in a game in which he scored zero. If Russell – whose games have become must-see TV for me – scored zero, he must have sprained his ankle in the first quarter.

But in reality, Russell Westbrook does some of the same type of things that Bill did: handle the ball, set up the offense, break down his defender and find an open man – Steven Adams should be taking him to dinner weekly – as the defense converges. So I think Coach should like Russell for doing the things he preached…and then some (since Bill didn’t fly down the lane to slam on the opposing centers).

VI. #SagerStrong

How fitting it was that Craig Sager got to work the sidelines at the NBA Finals for the first time this past June, something that had not been available to him because Turner Sports never airs the Finals. Someone had to have a sense it should be made available to him sooner rather than later. He will be missed.
VII. Last Second Present

If you are looking for a last second present for a young person in your life, please check out my book!
Jackie Robinson and the Negro Leagues – Facebook.com/jackienegroleagues.

#Brown Lions Matter

The SEVEN
by Mack Williams
1 August 2015

I. Brown Lions Matter

A young woman approached me yesterday and asked if she could ask me a question. Assuming it was going to be for subway or other directions – the type question strangers ask me on an almost daily basis – I said yes, and she went on to surprise me by asking if I would feel safer as a lion in Africa or as a Black man in America.

The short answer is that you might get shot either way. Certainly I understand all of the outrage expressed over the senseless killing of Cecil the lion. I too hope that the Minnesota dentist responsible for his death pays the appropriate penalty for his actions. I just wish there had been the same kind of outrage over Eric Garner, Mike Brown, Sandra Bland, and so many others, as opposed to the all-too-common “why didn’t he…why did she…he should have,” etc.

II. Trust Your Talent

For an example of how to trust your own talent, the New York Mets’ Jenrry Mejia – who incredibly got himself suspended again for 162 games (until this time next season) on the heels of being suspended until July of this year for Performance Enhancing Drug usage – only has to look across to the Bronx, where Alex Rodriguez is having an outstanding comeback season at the age of 40. A-Rod’s success makes one wonder why he ever went down the PED road at all.

III. Here’s A Story Of A Man Named Brady

Tom Brady said he didn’t participate in deflation of the footballs, while the NFL says he did, and suspended him for four games. That said, that four-game suspension will probably not keep the Patriots from making the playoffs; if there were real concrete proof that he had done this to gain competitive advantage, they’d suspend him for eight or ten games.

But here’s the thing no one is talking about: both teams played with the same balls. Any advantage allegedly accruing to Brady would have been in place for the other team as well when they had the ball.

IV. Whatcha Gonna Do…?

Instead of scrubbing Hulk Hogan’s name off the website as a result of his N-word rant (as well as other revelations that he may have used that term in describing Dwayne Johnson), WWE should let him in the ring with the Rock at the next Wrestlemania and see how he defends his words in there. In a real fight.

V. Let’s Go Donald

As I’ve stated before, the fact that The Donald remains at the top of the polls illustrates the problem Republicans will have in winning the presidency from this point on in what is becoming an increasingly “Minority” electorate. Plus his presence helps Democrats, or at least may wind up helping; since Trump is not a serious politician (as evidenced by his endorsement by Dennis Rodman), his presence in next week’s debate will keep one more serious candidate out. That debate platform may be what that candidate needs to break out from the pack and establish themselves, but that opportunity will be kept from them.

VI. You’re Joshing…?

So Josh Smith said he and his family are going to have a hard time
making it happen on $6.9 million. He probably should have thought about that before he took the Los Angeles Clippers offer, which was lower than what he would have gotten from the Houston Rockets.

I wonder how many of his classmates are trying to make it on $69,000 or less, by the way.

VII. Help

My former colleague Tiffany is having a real problem with an ex, which is detailed in the following link. If you are so inclined, take whatever action you see fit.

https://life.indiegogo.com/fundraisers/1365114